From: creative-archive@anxst.com Subject: The Scourge Part V Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 23:33:29 -0800 (PST) name = Gregg Landsman email = GreggHL@aol.com title = The Scourge, Part V warnings = Some swearing. story = Babylon 5 is the property of J. Michael Straczynski and Warner Bros. X-COM is the property of Microprose. All rights reserved. Sorry for the delay. College, all that. The Scourge, part five. "WARNING! WARNING! UFO DETECTED! ALL X-COM PERSONNEL TO FULL BATTLE ALERT!" To say Strike Base Centauri is hectic would be to master understatement. Soldiers gear up, arming themselves with weapons and covering themselves with armor. Fighters and transports begin to load up and lift off, docking on the fleet of carriers and battleships in orbit of the planet. The fleet breaks orbit of Alpha Centauri, heading towards the edge of the system. A ball of light flies out from the lead cruiser. A funnel into hyperspace opens. The the ships shoot through. Gorbon looks around at the situation. Not good. Not by any definition, good. She turns to the woman they just rescued, Radria. Radria's eyes are closed, a look of concentration on her face. A whirr is heard, and Gorbon turns. One of the sectopods is turning it's torso, torwards the tasoth army. It fires a fusion missile right into their midst. The odds are better already. Captain Elizabeth Lochly looks over status report after status report in her quarters. No one said being commander of Babylon 5 was this tedious. The door chimes. "Enter.", she says. A person in a full cut military uniform, rank of commander, walks in. "Yes?", she asks. "Captain, I am Colonel Miles Ferris.", he says, "X-COM. Division 9. I need you to get me in touch with President Sheridan." Phebbs stays near Radria, firing plasma burst after plasma burst at the tasoths as the sectopod takes out one of it's own with a plasma barrage. Gorbon takes a grenade from her belt, pressing the trigger and throwing it at the tasoths. A purple, sweet smelling gas spreads out. The tasoths scream, and collapse, dead. "What was that?", Phebbs asks. "Anti-alien gas.", she responds, "A nanite delivery mechanism that targets alien DNA and destroys it. Don't worry. It's safe against humans." She looks around, surveying the area. All the aliens are dead, all sectopods deactivated. "This way.", she says, "We have to secure the bridge." And they follow her out. Zach Allen packs his clothes and personal effects into his duffel bag, checking his chronometer. About five hours until his transport debarks for Alpha Centauri. His door chimes, waking him from his reverre. "Come in.", he says. Ferris walks in. "Yes, Colonel?", Allen asks. "It seems we're going to be a little delayed.", Ferris says, "I think we have a problem." Hundreds of X-COM cruisers shoot through hyperspace towards their destination, engines blazing with blue light. On the disabled saucer, sectoids work like mad on the bridge to get the ship operational again. Suddenly, the main door to the bridge blows open, and the X-COM soldiers and ally charge in, plasma rifles at ready, the sectoids freezing. "Intergalactic Pest Control!", one of them says, "Ya gotta love it!" The sectoids quickly put their hands up. Who says they didn't learn anything from the humans? Gorbon nods to one of the soldiers. "Load them into the Retaliators.", she says, "Remember to pressurize the cargo bays, this time, Jack. Took some serious scrubbing, last time." The soldiers nods. "Got it, Chief.", he responds, "Alright, eggheads. This way." The sectoids follow his orders. Gorbon quickly walks over to the comm console, checking coordinates and movements. "Well, shit.", she says. Phebbs and Radria walk over. "You can read sectoid?", he asks. "It's alot like french.", she responds, "According to this, they've a fleet already formed up for an invasion into Earth territory." One of the soldiers looks up, as if beseeching a higher power. "Everytime, it's always Earth.", he says, "Why are they always after the armpit of the galaxy?" "Beats me.", she responds, "We need a plan." "How many jump engines does this thing have?", Phebbs asks, after a moment. "Two.", Gorbon responds, "One fore, one rear. Both on independent power....sources." She looks up at Phebbs. "I've got an idea.", he simply says. The saucer comes about, lights coming on all over the ship as it reactivates. A ball of light flies out, turning into a blue funnel. And with that, it shoots into hyperspace. General Frank Pasqual checks the readings on his carrier, waiting as the red mist of hyperspace floats by. "We should be in position.", he says, and presses a button, "All X-COM ships, this is General Pasqual. Prepare to jump into realspace." No fancy maneuvers. No master plans. Just mano a mano with humanity's old enemies. "Let's hope Miles got the help.", he whispers, "Jump!" A funnel appears, the ships flying through. In a flash, they're at the coordinates. He sees the sight facing them. "Dear Lord.", he whispers. Thousands upon thousands of starspawn ships. Outnumbering them four to one. "General!", an officer says, at one of the stations, "Reading jump gate formation, at Fifteen k off aft." "Right behind us.", Pasquat says, "Scramble fighters! Ready-" "Sir!", the officer says, "I have a reading on the lead ship......it's the Agammemnon!" Jump gates form behind them, myriad ships including an armada of White Star cruisers, minbari and earth alliance ships, and various ships from the former League of Non-aligned worlds. Leading them is a heavily refitted Omega-Class destroyer, it's former rotating section replaced with heavy weaponry, it's hull thicker, it's weapons far more advanced, and emplacements holding energy disruption towers dotting it's length. "This is President John Sheridan to starspawn fleet.", a voice announces, over all frequencies, "You have violated Interstellar Alliance territory. Surrender now, or be destroyed." Pasqual smiles. "Launch fighters.", he orders. Fighters of every type comes from the ships of the Alliance fleet, starspawn fighters issuing from the other side. Weapons and defense grids lock into place. The fleets begin to advance towards each other, revenge on their minds. Hatred flows through the vacuum. It was inevitable. Is inevitable. The War has begun, once again. May God help us all. END PART FIVE Feedback's welcome. ----------------------------------------------- From: creative-archive@anxst.com Subject: Scourge, part 6 Date: Thu, 27 Nov 1997 10:30:09 -0800 (PST) >From: GreggHL@aol.com >To: creative-archive@anxst.com >Subject: Scourge, part 6 Here's the final part of the X-COM/B5 crossover. I'm beginning work on the sequel, this one which concerns Zach's exploits with the first, last and only line of defense. Babylon 5 and associated characters are the property of J. Michael Straczynski and Warner Brothers. X-COM: UFO Defense is the property of Microprose. All others are mine! Mine! Mine! Hahahahahahahaha......oh, well. I've been spending too much time at my computer. The Scourge, Part 6 The two massive fleets begin their advance towards each other. Two hundred and sixty three years ago, they came, forever altering humanity's future with their merciless assault. Today, humanity returns the favor. Their intentions and objectives were never known. Humanity's will be clear: Don't mess with Earth. The starspawn are about to find out they pissed off the wrong species. A single saucer speeds through the red midst of hyperspace. On the bridge, Lieutenant Jason Phebbs sets the system up for his surprise. Their newly rescued guest, Radria of the house Mir, watches him. "What is this?", she asks, looking at the readings. "A little surprise I picked up at the academy.", he responds, "One that the starspawn are about to appreciate." "I do not understand.", she says. "It's a little tactic we tried during the Earth/Minbari war.", he says, "You'll see soon enough." Fighters from both sides open fire, energy beams lancing out, destroying many on both sides as the war begins anew. Cruisers accelerate to attack speed and position. Plasma and laser beams, followed by pulse cannons lance out, a starspawn cube destroyer falling in the first volley, an alliance White Star taken down in the second. Fighters from both sides begin their strafing runs. Retaliators and sphere fighters dogfight throughout the starscape. The battle has begun. They say war is hell. Hades is open for business. A plasma beam strikes out at the Agammemnon, piercing the shield and erupting in fire on the side. President John Sheridan feels it as the bridge lurches. "Damage report?", he orders. "Fires breaking out on decks 15 through 20, front sector.", the officer at the tactical station reports. "Evacuate the area, and seal off the sections.", Sheridan orders, "Target the nearest saucer.....wait." A starspawn ship is breaking off, heading towards the fleet. "What's it's target?", he asks. ".....the X-COM flagship." "Get us on that thing.", Sheridan orders, "Full throttle!" "Eta fifteen minutes and counting.", one of the lieutenants on the captured saucer says, "Should I charge the shields?" "No.", Gorbon says, "This ship ain't lasting too much after we enter the fight. Program the weapons to give us some covering fire." She checks the distance. "Alright.", she says, "Jason, have you put in the commands?" He nods. "One minute after we clear the ship. I'll set the detonation from my fighter.", he says, "We're ready as we'll ever be." "Alright.", she says, "All pilots to their fighters. Lieutenant, you'll take our guest." She walks out. "Well, now or never.", Phebbs says. "What will exactly happen?", Radria asks. "You'll see.", he responds, "Come on." They hurry out. "It's faster than we are, Mr. President.", Captain James says, "We're not going to be able to catch up to it." Sheridan watches as the starspawn ship opens it's weapons powers, readying to fire, when..... A red beam of energy knocks it off course. "Report!", he orders. "Three Warlock-class cruisers just exited a point point!", James says, listening to the report, and smiles, "Captain Ivanova wants to speak with you, Mr. President." "On speakers.", Sheridan says, with a smile, "Susan?" "Didn't think I'd miss this fight, did you?", Ivanova's voice says, over the speakers, "I bet those alien slug suckers didn't see that one coming." "Sir, the enemy ship's in range.", James says. "Blow that ugly ship out of my sky.", Sheridan orders, "Fire!" The main batteries on the Agammemnon open up, reducing the enemy saucer to scrap in a single volley. Nearby, a small jump point opens. Phebbs runs through the startup of his Retaliator, arming the weapons and charging the shields. "We're clear!", Gorbon's voice says, "Haven Flight, launch!" He puts his hand on the throttle. "Radria," he says, "Hold on tight." He pulls the throttle back, both of them thrown back into their acceleration couches as the twelve retaliators launch from the saucer. He sees the fighters coming in. "We've got trouble, people!", Gorbon says. "Haven Flight, form up!", Phebbs says, "Get your guns fully charged, and follow my lead!" He readies for an old maneuver he's always wanted to do. "Let's give our gift some cover!" he says, "Gentlemen, let's plow the roads!" He then presses back on the trigger, hundreds of energy pulses firing out, downing sphere fighters by the dozens as the twelve fighters speed out of the crowd. "General!", an officer on the X-COM flagship says, "Twelve retaliators are heading this way.....point of origin is an energy saucer." "Haven flight.", Pasqual says, "What are they doing...." "Sir, reading massive energy build up from their saucer. Looks like it's engaging the jump drive." Pasqual's eyes widen. "Activate fleet perimeter shield. Now." On all corners of the fleet, small satellites launch, glowing as they charge up. Then, an energy field surrounds the fleet in a bubble, both X-COM and Alliance. "Commands are uploaded to my fighter.", Phebbs says, "One Bonehead Manuever, coming up!" He presses a button. The saucer turns, as it's energy blasts ram into surrounding saucers. A ball of light shoots out, forming into a jump point... And then another ball flies out, entering the funnel. The funnel contorts and shifts, lighting the ebon space with light. The saucers realize what's happening, and try to escape....but it is too late. The fleet watches as a blinding light pulses three times.....and then a massive explosion rips out, a shockwave of unimaginable energy flying out, ramming into the perimiter shields. Riding the shockwave, twelve objects become clear... "Twelve fighters, General. Retaliators....I'm getting a message." "Message reads?", Pasqual asks. "'We kicked their ass.'" "That would be Gorbon.", he says, "Give them clearance. I want to see Haven flight as soon as they're onboard." Epilogue: Two days later. Former Babylon 5 assistant security chief Zachary Allen watches as the X-COM shuttle flies out of the Alpha Centauri jump gate, heading at half speed to the planet. "Pretty damn fast.", he says, "What's our speed?" The pilot, a blonde haired, young to middle aged woman, checks the meter. "One tenth lightspeed.", she says, "Cutting down....to one thousand klicks." "Pretty impressive shuttle, Ms...." "Gorbon. Sarah Gorbon.", she says, "CO, Haven Flight. The General asked me to fly you here. Not everyday that Special Ops gets a new recruit." "Special Ops?", Allen asks, "What's that?" "They're the highest level, Division 9.", she says, "They solve mysteries, check up and keep tabs on aliens. Only a few actually get into it." "I thought they wanted a ground pounder.", he says. "Nope.", she says, "You're X-COM, now. We don't waste our people." She clicks a button. "Inverness, this is Avenger 1.", she says, "Requesting clearance." "Got the package, Commander?" "Agent Allen's with me.", she says, "Better tell the chief." "Roger, Avenger 1.", the voice says, "You're clear." And the twin nacelled transport descends to the planet. Phebbs watches as the minbari flyer heads out of view. Right after they landed, they informed the Minbari Federation about Radria. Turns out, she's a relative of....Entil'zah, they said. Hell if he knows what it means. He blows out an exasperated breath through his teeth. "Why do I get the feeling," he says, "That none of my job's gonna make any sense?" He then turns and walks back into the base. THE END Feedback! Feedback!